Star Wars VII: Harrison Ford Rumored To Be Officially Back

Could the kickoff entry to the upcoming Star Wars sequel trilogy, Episode VII see the return of a certain scruffy-looking nerfherder? Well, according to a scoop by Latino Review, that's what the new film just locked-down for itself. Yes, the one and only Harrison Ford is reportedly part of a done deal to reprise his role of the suave, yet seedy smuggler-turned-stalwart of the Rebellion, Han Solo!

If this news proves true, then it would verify recent comments by Ford which seemed to imply that he, along with his Original Trilogy co-stars, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill were open to the idea of returning to THE franchise of sci-fi after a 30+ year break. Although, when it came to Ford, there was a bit of a wild card, since in the past, he has been notoriously dismissive towards his legacy as the smooth pirate of space. In fact, it's been well-documented that he considered the Han Solo role merely as a career stepping-stone, and by the end of the Original Trilogy with 1983's Return of the Jedi, even insisted that Han be killed-off and martyred for a dramatic punch. -- A request that George Lucas did not ultimately oblige.

Fast-forward to 2013 and it seems that Ford, like Han, may have started to wonder what good's a reward if he ain't around to use it. In this case, the "reward" is being forever associated with one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema. (At least one that hasn't used major household appliances for fallout shelters.) Perhaps, the actor has finally come to terms with his character's place in history, looking for a more fitting swan song. (Which could also be accompanied by a spinoff film focusing on Solo's early years.) Of course, Han will be a lot older and, if the critical elements of the Expanded Universe of Star Wars novels and comic books hold true, he and Princess Leia will be parents to a set of Force-sensitive twins who could be central characters in the new films.

Regardless, unless serious concrete proof of this casting emerge, this is something that the franchise's new gatekeepers at Disney will likely sit on for quite a while. Until then, fans will keep riding on the rumor-iffic road to the 2015 release of Star Wars: Episode VII.